Legacy
by DreamingCerulean
Summary: America has had many important people exist throughout his history. They defined what he has become today, and he remembers the faces and voices of every single one. Above them all, there was one person that America truly trusted and admired more than the others. It is President's Day, and America would like to pay his respects to the man he considered a father.


**A/N: Hello everyone! This is a one-shot of America on President's Day, which has recently passed by. Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.**

Alfred's POV

The cart wheels squeaked annoyingly as I pushed the cart down the grocery store aisle, but I didn't mind. My thoughts were with someone else, and the sound wasn't enough to draw me out of my own head. Although, it was nice to be able to tune out every now when it got too much.

Memories, especially for beings such as the nations, were like time bubbles. So much had changed since the memory took place that it may as well have happened in a different world. Humans never experienced change as much as a nation would. While things would most definitely change during their lifetimes, there wouldn't be as great a difference compared to the hundreds of years a nation lived through.

I shook myself out of the thoughts, and drew my eyes away to the rows of edible items. I was here for a purpose, and it wasn't to stare at the banana stand all day.

As I headed towards the checkout lanes, a small box of cupcakes caught my eyes. They were covered in red, white, and blue icing, and I smiled lightly at them, before placing them gently in the cart. I didn't usually buy sweets as often, but I would make an exception for today. It was a holiday after all.

While waiting in line, I listened to the people around me. There was a couple speaking about their plans for the afternoon, and a young boy asking his mother for ice cream. I listened into their conversations for a couple of seconds before letting it go and allowing the rest of the sounds of the store to reach my ears.

It still amazed me how much technology existed, and how much it was taken for granted. We were standing in a room filled with anything a person could ever physically need. And this was considered normal. I would never be able to step past that.

In the parking lot, I quietly took in the bright blue sky. A wind blew gently, rustling the plastic of my grocery bags. It was one of those days where I would prefer to not have to go inside at all.

On the radio in the car, some light instrumental music was playing. Any other day, I would have been blasting rock or country music, and singing along (terribly) at the top of my lungs, but today was different.

I pulled the car gently into the garage when I arrived, and began unloading everything inside. It took me a few trips, but they passed by quickly. The memories wouldn't leave me alone.

Today always took a lot out of me. It was one of the fews days every year where I didn't act as I usually did. Every nation had these days. I didn't know a single nation that didn't have one. It was hard to go through hundreds of years without at least something significant happening at least once. Things change. Sometimes radically, sometimes slowly. Sometimes, we have to leave the people that matter most behind, and we never see them again.

Still, life went on, and I kept moving.

I brought the supplies out onto the back porch, where there was a clear view of the deep blue sky. I balanced on a chair to pull the streamers up, and blew some balloons up. I tied them to the railing.

Stepping back, I admired my work. It looked like a decent party, and I felt a pang of sorrow. No one else would be coming. Just me.

Sighing, I sat down at the table and lit the candle.

"Happy birthday George," I whispered, watching a couple of the clouds in the distance.

Soon enough, I turned my attention back to the cake and cut a slice off, putting it on a plate and pushing it to the chair opposite of me. Then I cut off another slice for myself. I didn't touch it.

I remembered the first time we had celebrated his birthday. We'd been in New York back then. It had just been us, and he had talked to me passionately about his plans for independence.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me," I said, quietly. "I'll never be able to say it enough."

It was the third monday of February. President's Day. The national celebration of George Washington's birthday.

Technically, his birthday was on the 22nd, but I preferred to celebrate it today. The nation he worked so hard to create recognized him today, and I would too. I would go to his grave on his actual birthday to pay my respects. But for now, this would be how I honored him.

I closed my eyes and leaned back in the chair.

Back then, there had been different issues. We had to struggle with the setting up of the entire nation. I remembered how difficult that was. How many minds were needed to come up with what people often took for granted today.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Now, there was the same deep divide between my people as always. I didn't think there would ever be a day without that divide. People had always had different thoughts and ideas. If they didn't, things would never change.

But for today, I ignored it all.

I looked deep into myself, and felt the steady thrum of the voices of my people. I felt their happiness and their sorrow. I felt the hope of all the people who had come here to make their lives better. I felt the pride of the people in their roots and in their traditions. Millions of people all working for a million different goals.

I felt the history rush through me. All the years of people changing the world. Each person was different. Each had a different role in their families, different religions or beliefs, a different way of thinking, a different personality. All these years of such different people arriving on my shores to have a brand new start, together.

My eyes drifted towards the sky again.

I silenced the inner turmoil and reassured myself that it would be okay. There had been struggles in the past, and there would no doubt be struggles in the future. But there was also no doubt that these struggles would be worth it. This was intended to be the land of the freedom, and people would always fight to create that opportunity.

There were a thousand things that needed to happen to make this country better, and once we satisfied them, there would be a thousand more. It would never end, and that was good. There would always be something to fix.

But for this moment, I simply watched.

"I think you'd be proud," I said, imagining my words floating up to wherever those long gone went. "Of everything we've done, and everything we will do."

 **A/N: Thank you for reading, and please review!**

 **Updated: February 23rd, 2018**


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